


Perfectly Normal SayoTsugu Fanfic

by silversilky



Category: BanG Dream! (Anime), BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: Awkward Dates, Crack Treated Seriously, F/F, Fluff and Humor, Future Fic, Nonbinary Character, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-17
Updated: 2020-11-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:27:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27606247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silversilky/pseuds/silversilky
Summary: There's nothing in the whole world that would stop Sayo from showing up to a date with Tsugumi, right? Of course not.Yukina will make sure of it.
Relationships: Aoba Moca/Shirasagi Chisato, Hazawa Tsugumi/Hikawa Sayo, Hazawa Tsugumi/Hikawa Sayo/Minato Yukina, Hazawa Tsugumi/Minato Yukina, Hikawa Sayo/Minato Yukina
Comments: 18
Kudos: 65





	Perfectly Normal SayoTsugu Fanfic

**Author's Note:**

> Yukina and Sayo are dating.  
> Tsugumi and Sayo are dating.  
> Tsugumi and Yukina are...?
> 
> Beta read by [Pyton](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pyton)! Make sure to check out his work, especially the Beastdori series and Private Beach.

From the moment Tsugumi wakes up, something feels different in the air. It takes another few seconds for her bleary brain to start chugging along enough to remember why that is.

She grins with a rush of excitement and tugs the blankets off, wiggling out of bed and hopping to the dresser and then the bathroom to prepare for the day. The floor creaks underneath her as she scurries back to the dresser again. Then a third time. It's important she gets her outfit exactly right, Tsugumi decides as she holds up two near-identical blue vests and squints at them.

There's a little buzz in the tips of her fingers. They dance around the hem of the vest--the one on the left that's a little thinner but also a little prettier--until she puts the other one away and beams. Everything's gonna be great.

After all, later today is her date night with Sayo!

And there's definitely nothing in the whole world that would stop Sayo from showing up to a date with Tsugumi, right?

* * *

"Minato...san."

The voice is cracked, rough, nearly unrecognizable except for the deep tenderness held within those few syllables that only Sayo could ever put in them. The girl lets out a quiet cough muffled by the hand that rises to cover her mouth. Her eyes find Yukina by the side of the bed, and she mumbles out something that should be quite obvious to both of them.

"I don't... think that I can go on with the plans for today."

Yukina watches her, strain evident in the way Sayo's brow furrows and her hands twist to grab the covers. She reaches out to rest her hand on top of one of Sayo's--they're burning up. Just like her forehead. "I know."

She feels Sayo's hand tense up at that for just a moment before settling down, growing still. "...She'll be so disappointed in me."

"She will not be."

Sayo looks like she wants to protest but any words are shoved back into her throat by a hacking cough that sends her leaning forward into her lap. Yukina's hand quickly moves around to rub circles in the tense muscle of her back. When it's over, Sayo lets out a tired breath and leans back into Yukina's touch. "Will you..." Sayo pauses. "I don't want to just text her, I know I tend to come across as cold. Hazawa-san deserves better than that. Will you please go to her in my place, Minato-san?"

"Of course, Sayo. Anything for a member of Roselia," Yukina responds with all the conviction in the world as she sits up straight. It is truly as simple as that, after all.

"Minato-san... thank you. I'll entrust my feelings to you." Sayo smiles at her, her gaze weak and wavering yet beautiful all the same. Her eyelids droop and Yukina knows she should leave her to her rest.

But first...

She scoops up a limp hand in her own and raises it. Sayo lets out a quiet gasp as Yukina leans in and leaves a gentle kiss between her knuckles. Her eyes seek out Sayo's and hold before the other girl can come back to her senses. "Promise me you will not push yourself in my absence. No practice and no extra work. You will recover from this as quickly as you can and come back to us stronger."

Sayo leans back into her pillow and stares at the ceiling, biting her lip as she takes in Yukina's words. "...I will do my best for you, dear."

"I expect nothing less." Yukina rubs her thumb across Sayo's palm and registers a twinge of triumph when she feels her hand tremble. Her girlfriend is so easy to read. She gives her hand another squeeze before setting it back down across her chest and reluctantly letting go. Sayo lets out a long breath and finally lets her eyes shut, her breaths soon slowing.

Yukina stands from her seat and turns towards the window to stare out at the early morning sunshine. She makes her way over, carefully avoiding the large plush dog that's fallen out of Sayo's bed. After fiddling with the lock for a moment she manages to push the window open and let a cool breeze in to aid Sayo in her recovery. On her way back she stops to pick up the dog and lay it down on Sayo's pillow next to her head. They're far from Yukina's favorite animals, true, but they're still perfectly useful as guards.

Then she heads for the door. Yukina's got work to do.

* * *

The Hikawa family's living room is uncomfortably spacious, wide and well-lit and minimalist, far too sterile for an environment that claims to house human beings. Let alone one like Sayo's twin. The hum of the fridge in the corner is just loud enough to almost be annoying but not quite. Yukina walks silently over the off-white tiles and in the back of her mind she wonders where their parents are.

For that matter, where is Hina? They were the one to answer the door when Yukina arrived, early enough that they were still in their arcade floor-print pajamas with a toothbrush sticking out of their mouth as if they were some sort of cartoon character. Not that Hina objected to the inconvenience, if anything they seemed to expect her and find the entire situation 'boppin'."

A word Yukina still aspires to someday better understand. It means something like _good,_ or _fun._ But that's not right, their sister is ill, something which by that reading would be decidedly un-boppin'.

Yukina frowns. She'll think about it more later.

For now, Hina told her she was welcome to coffee if she wanted it, a sentiment Sayo also expressed later on. Yukina will gladly take them both up on the offer. After all, to her understanding Sayo has coffee most mornings; she's been trying to build up her tolerance to the bitter brew until she can drink it black to impress Tsugumi.

Yukina will have none of that. The first thing she looks for is the sugar, then the cream, then finally the coffeemaker. When she's finally got it all worked out and the machine is chugging away, she decides to get started on preparations for the rest of the day.

Sayo's itinerary is already fully logged into the calendar on Yukina's phone as always, a measure they've taken to coordinate practice sessions and 'extracurricular activities'--Yukina would just call them dates for simplicity's sake but Sayo's face erupts every time she does so she'll try to stick with the euphemism. She squints at the screen and taps on today's date.

_6:00AM - Wake up. Text Minato-san to ensure she has woken up on time._  
_6:30AM-7:00AM - Breakfast. Text Minato-san to ensure she has eaten._  
_7:00AM-12:00PM - Practice. Call Minato-san to discuss results._  
_12:00PM-1:00PM - Lunch. Text Minato-san to ensure she has eaten._

Endearing in a certain way but not what Yukina's looking for. She flicks up to scroll through the list until she sees the name.

_5:30PM-Evening - Hazawa-san._

Well, she has plenty of time, then.

Yukina closes the calendar and sets her phone down, staring blankly across the kitchen as she thinks. Her hand idly seeks out the coffee cup on the table and wraps around the handle before raising it up. Odd, it smells slightly off. She takes a sip anyway. Halfway through doing so, just as the spicy (?) liquid hits her tongue she remembers she did not finish making coffee.

"Yu-ki-na-chan~!"

Arms fly around the back of the seat and hug her a little too roughly as a familiar pressure digs into the top of Yukina's head. Hina happily rubs their chin on her like a cat claiming its territory and sends hair falling out of place and onto Yukina's face. She carefully spits each strand out of her mouth. Hina ignores her until she's done, and then pipes up with a question. "How was Sis? She sounded real gluuurgh last night, is she feeling better yet?"

"Not yet, unfortunately, she'll be out of commission for a day or two longer it seems." Yukina takes another sip of coffee and stares into the cup blankly as her taste buds process it. "What did you put in this?"

"Chocolate and mint and cayenne, too, for a little kick." Hina kicks the back of the chair as punctuation. "What do you think?"

"Not bad, but I would give it some more thought. You can do better."

"Yukina-chan praised me!" Hina cries out gleefully, finally letting go of her to twirl freely across the kitchen floor. A follow-up whoop is ready to follow judging by the long breath Hina takes but they freeze in place and clap their hands over their mouth before it can come out. "Oh, shhh, better not wake up Sis."

Uncharacteristically thoughtful. Yukina feels a small smile creep at the edge of her lips and occupies them with the coffee mug one last time instead. When the concoction is gone she wipes her mouth and turns back to Hina, all business.

"Now, Hina, I have something important I need to discuss with you. It's about a request Sayo made of me."

Hina scurries up and pulls up a chair at the table, hopping up onto it and squatting down like some sort of lanky gay frog. They lean forward towards Yukina's face excitedly. "Gimme the details. What do you need?"

"I need you to tell me everything you know about your sister and Hazawa-san's relationship."

The gleam in Hina's eyes is blinding. "Boppin'!"

* * *

The display of Tsugumi's watch blinks as another minute passes by. 5:08PM, it reads brightly, and she lowers her arm down to her side. She shuffles a little and pulls on her too-thin vest to hug her a bit tighter. It's chilly. She shouldn't have come so early. But Sayo always shows up early so Tsugumi always does too, it's become a sort of tradition.

Tsugumi smiles at the thought and looks down at her shoes, nestling her chin in the fuzz of the vest's lining. Well, that's one way to warm herself up.

The downtown area is just starting to fill up with people; businessmen in tight packs beginning to trickle into the more expensive restaurants, gangs of rowdy high school kids hopping from shop to shop in search of a good time, a few tourists with their phone cameras at the ready to capture the aesthetic of an authentic Japanese shopping district. Tsugumi can't blame them. It's so pretty in the evening light. The way sunbeams refract off of cafe windows and streak across the tall apartment buildings behind them is breathtaking.

Hard to appreciate properly when she's shivering, but still. Tsugumi taps her feet on the ground to the rhythm of Afterglow's latest proto-single as a form of multitasking--she's still trying to get the tempo down.

It's easier when Sayo is around to practice with her...

Tsugumi reaches up to clap cold hands against hot cheeks. Sayo will be here soon enough, stop hopelessly pining for your girlfriend! You did more than enough of that in high school! Her mental protests fall on her deaf ears and she sighs, a slight puff of chilled breath leaving her and dissolving into the open air. She really hopes Sayo won't be much longer.

And her wish must have been heard by someone. As soon as the thought crosses her mind she hears the familiar sound of a long coat flapping in the breeze and practical shoes clacking against the ground. Tsugumi turns, a smile on her face. "Sayo-sa--!"

What.

The heck?

Tsugumi blinks and rubs her eyes. When she opens them again the world has not, in fact, reverted back to normal and what she saw was, in fact, entirely real and not some hallucination caused by hypothermia or a Sayo-san deficiency, and Yukina Minato is still standing in front of her wearing Sayo's clothes.

"Yukina-senpai...?"

Yukina shakes her head firmly, Sayo-style braid wobbling with the motion before she crosses her arms over her chest where Sayo's necklace hangs a little too low. The sleeves of the coat are much too long, they cover her hands all the way up to the palm. She clears her throat thoroughly before speaking in a deeper tone of voice than normal.

"Incorrect, Hazawa-san. I am Sayo Hikawa from Roselia. Your loving girlfriend, here for a wonderful date. Which we are about to have."

"No, you're Yukina-senpai," Tsugumi says insistently, trying to convince herself as much as she is Yukina. She leans to the side and desperately looks around behind Yukina's back. "Sorry, er, but where is Sayo-san?"

"Right here." Yukina gestures towards herself.

...Is Tsugumi being pranked or something, should she try to go along with this? But no, wait, forget whatever Yukina's doing for a second. The most important thing here is that she still doesn't know where the real Sayo is! There's no way she'd willingly miss one of their dates. So she's either in on whatever sort of prank this is--highly unlikely, it's not her sense of humor at all--or she couldn't come. But why?

Tsugumi frowns, clasping her hands together and squeezing tight. Yukina seems to notice and steps closer, reaching into her pocket and pulling something out. "Here, Hazawa-san. You seem cold."

It's a pair of simple, no-nonsense black winter gloves. Exactly the sort of thing Sayo would carry on her just in case. Tsugumi pauses for a moment and chews on her lip anxiously before reaching out to take them and slip them onto her hands. She flexes her fingers inside the thick fabric and feels the chill start to melt out of them. "Ah, that's nice... um, thank you!"

"Don't mention it. It's just the sort of thing I, Sayo Hikawa, would do for my lovely girlfriend any time."

Tsugumi's jaw falls open and she stammers out a frantic reply, waving her newly gloved palms up between the two of them. "Lovely is a little too much, Yukina-senpai!"

"Not in the slightest. That's how she r--" Yukina slams the brakes on her sentence and starts over. "That is how I refer to you when speaking to my fellow members of Roselia. All the time, in fact, some would say constantly. It's quite a normal thing."

"...Wait, does she really?"

"Yes," Yukina replies plainly, "I do."

Is Tsugumi having a weird dream again? Perhaps she has some deep-seated jealousy issues with Sayo's other girlfriend, and they're finally making themselves known now. Over a full year after the trio's odd arrangement became official. Tsugumi stares at Yukina and feels her brain melt a little as one shoulder of Sayo's overly large coat starts to gradually slip off of Yukina's slender shoulders. "Your coat, it's..."

"Thank you, Hazawa-san." Yukina yanks it back into place and stands up straight. Her piercing gaze fixes Tsugumi in place. "If you're about ready, we should get started with our date. The shopping district awaits."

"..."

Tsugumi gives up. "Sure. Let's go... Sayo-san."

* * *

Yukina's doing quite well so far, if she does say so herself. The idea of taking Sayo's place was intimidating at first but it doesn't seem as difficult as she feared it would be. It makes sense. After all, her and Sayo are very alike when you get down to it. They share the same values.

She allows herself a smug smile as she watches Tsugumi browse the goods on display. Now, here's a good example of her research paying off. Limp Lamp is an important place to Sayo and Tsugumi, the site of their first date; and as thus it makes perfect sense for Yukina--for Sayo--to take her there today when they're in the area. She crosses her arms and makes sure she's standing as stiffly as Sayo always does. "Hazawa-san, are you enjoying yourself?"

Tsugumi jumps at the question. She pointedly avoids Yukina's gaze and stares directly at a teal ribbon on the shelf as she slowly nods. "Mmhmm."

See? Yukina is doing great.

Something out of the corner of her eye catches her attention. She walks up to the display of plastic flowers and stares at them, reaching out to shuffle them around curiously as they clack against each other in their container. "How curious. Why would they sell something like this here? I thought they specialized in stationary."

"Oh, I've seen these before!" Tsugumi leans around her shoulder, a little spark of energy shining from her as she reaches out to pluck one of the flowers and tilt it around.

She taps the center of the bloom with her thumb and the bottom of the stem clicks open. Yukina's eyebrows raise at the revelation--it's a pen. "Fascinating. I would never have guessed," she mutters, genuinely impressed. She reaches out to take one of her own and click it open and shut a few times. Perhaps she should buy one for songwriting. What sort of styles do they have?

"Look, they've got one that looks like the Roselia rose!" Another pen slips into Yukina's hand as Tsugumi grins at her eagerly. "The blue is a little off, but still... it's really pretty, you should definitely get it! If you want one, that is." She stops, looking embarrassed by her own outburst.

Yukina smiles, remembering something Hina said and realizing it's the perfect opportunity to use it. "Hazawa-san, it's like you work here."

All emotion falls from Tsugumi's face in an instant, replaced by an infinite blank void that itself is soon filled with pure swirling confusion. "How...!?" she sputters, staring at Yukina with wide eyes.

"Is something wrong, my dear?"

"E-Excuse me, your what!?" Tsugumi stumbles back a step before catching herself.

Yukina frowns and raises a hand to her chin. A misstep. "Was that not something Sayo would say? I apologize. What pet names do I usually call you?"

"None in public!"

"Noted."

Reaching around to yet again tug the shoulder of Sayo's coat back up into place, Yukina places the extra pen away on the shelf and holds onto the blue one Tsugumi gave her. The two of them don't exchange any words as they make their way up to the front and pay for it. Yukina carefully tucks it into Sayo's pocket for safekeeping before they leave.

Tsugumi heads for the door first, and Yukina instinctively waits for it to be opened for her--but then she realizes the one who always opens it for her is Sayo, and if she is Sayo then she must do the opening; so she quickly slides past Tsugumi and grabs the door handle with a proper tug.

It won't budge. Yukina's brow furrows as she tries again to no avail. How vexing. This sort of thing would never happen to Sayo.

"Um, Yu-- _Sayo-san,_ " Tsugumi whispers in her ear, "you've got to push."

"So I do," Yukina says flatly as she opens the door and steps outside. "Now, where to next, Hazawa-san? It's only fair that you choose our next destination." She turns with her hands stuffed into her pockets and watches the other girl expectantly.

Tsugumi looks distracted. She's shifting back and forth as she thinks, and it takes Yukina a long moment to realize the reason why. Ah. She's probably still cold, even with the gloves... Well, she knows exactly what Sayo would do for that. This is an easy one. Yukina wiggles her shoulders and allows the coat to slip away this time, gathering it up in her arms before stepping closer to Tsugumi and tossing it around the other girl's shoulders.

"Here," Yukina says, and leaves it at that. Sayo is just as awkward as this when Yukina forgets to bring her own jacket.

Tsugumi blinks at her before a surprised sort of bashful smile crosses her face. "Thank you..." She gathers the coat close to her and lets out a relieved breath before her gaze moves back to Yukina, concern obvious in the way she looks over Yukina's now-exposed arms. "But are you going to be alright?"

Yukina takes a moment to think about the question. In that time she realizes her teeth are already chattering. "No, I don't believe so. We should try to choose a destination quickly. Preferably one with central h-heating."

"Ah, um, of course!"

The way Tsugumi's eyes widen and then just as quickly squeeze shut as she tries to rapidly narrow down her choices, the way her hair flutters in the breeze and her foot rhythmically taps against the ground with an anxious energy that she can't quite manage to contain within herself...

Yukina can't help but think to herself that it's all quite cute.

But perhaps that's the Sayo in her speaking.

* * *

"Table for two?"

Tsugumi nods as the man at the desk looks around her to see where her companion is sitting. Yukina is slumped down on the narrow cushions near the door of the restaurant, rubbing her arms up and down rapidly as if to massage the newfound warmth of the place into her poor muscles. Tsugumi winces. "Yes, just the two of us tonight. Thank you."

"It'll be just a moment." He gives her a curt smile before heading off to find them a table. She watches him go and wonders what it must be like to work in a place like this, as opposed to something as simple as a coffee shop.

It's a relatively nice restaurant, but you wouldn't know it from the plain brick exterior. This space was originally some sort of bar that went out years ago and was recently bought up and repurposed by its new owner. It's small and a little off the beaten path--you've got to cut through a side route to reach it from the shopping district--but according to Himari it's worth it, and not too expensive at that. Tsugumi was already scoping it out as a possible choice for a night out with Sayo.

Tonight does sort of count as that. Maybe.

Not for the first time, Tsugumi wonders where the real Sayo is right now and sighs. She looks at Yukina with a frown and her hands find their way to her hips. She knows if she asks plainly, Yukina definitely won't give her a straight answer. So what does she need to do to get one?

"Hazawa-san?" Oh, whoops, Yukina caught her staring. "Is there something on my face?"

"No!" Tsugumi stammers out. "No, your face is fine."

Yukina reaches up to poke her own cheek as if confirming the statement. She nods decisively. "Well, I guess it's natural for a young woman such as yourself to want to stare at your girlfriend from time to time."

Tsugumi feels her cheeks light up as her brain goes completely blank. "I-I don't stare at Sayo-san!"

"But you were just now."

"..."

"Ahem." The sound of a throat being firmly cleared behind Tsugumi. She jumps a little and turns to see their waiter, his eyes tired. "Excuse me, ma'am, we have a table open now."

Tsugumi grabs the lifeline gratefully and takes Yukina's hand. "Thank you so much! Come on, Y--Sayo-san, let's not keep the nice man waiting." She gives Yukina's still chilly hand a gentle tug and the other girl stands, stretching her legs. It almost feels like she's trying to lead a child around.

This impression is torn to shreds as Yukina's hand deftly slides around so her fingers can carefully interlock with Tsugumi's. Two calm squeezes follow, and Tsugumi's breath catches in her throat in a way that very nearly makes her choke. That's... It's the same as what Sayo always does when they hold hands.

"Hazawa-san, is something wrong?" Yukina asks curiously, as if she had done nothing out of the ordinary at all.

Tsugumi shakes her head and looks down. "No, nothing..."

And it is nothing, when she thinks about it, after all Sayo must hold Yukina's hand just as often as Tsugumi's. They probably do the same thing. It makes perfect sense that Yukina would know to do it. But still the actual feeling of Yukina's hand in hers, so much smaller than Sayo's but still holding her tightly--perhaps a little tighter than Sayo would because she's less afraid of breaking her--is enough to make Tsugumi's head swim as her gaze continues to bore into the ground between her shoes. She feels sort of weird.

"Ahem."

"Ah, sorry!" Tsugumi says, head flying back up to look at the waiter as she bites her tongue. "We're ready."

They're led to a table in the back of the restaurant. The lights are a little more dim back here and the background noise is a little less loud. It's still peak hours but the place isn't quite full, and most of the other diners are seated up at the front where there are larger tables to accommodate them. It feels kind of romantic to have their own little island over here. Or it would feel that way, if Tsugumi were here with her actual girlfriend.

Tsugumi slides into her side of the booth and gives their waiter a shaky, grateful smile as he hands out a pair of menus. "Let me know if you need anything," he says as he sets a pair of tall glasses down on the table. "I'll be right back with some water."

Before long, it's just her and Yukina again with little to do but awkwardly stare at each other in silence and look through the menu.

Or so she thinks.

"Ara~? Well, if it isn't our wonderful little Tsugu."

The teasing voice makes Tsugumi freeze in place, hands gripping the edges of the menu tightly and crumpling it as her knuckles turn white.

Shhhhhhoot. Shoot, shoot, shoot. Oh, what are the odds that they would have chosen the same place at the same time? Tsugumi's joints creak as she stiffly turns around and peers over the top of the booth to meet those familiar waggling eyebrows.

"Hey, Moca-chan."

Her friend is sitting at the next booth over, twisted around with their legs up on the open area of the seat so they can peer over at Tsugumi more easily. Their partner sits across from them. Chisato looks a bit bemused at the display, but she's clearly grown used to Moca's antics by now judging by the half-smile on her face. She gives a polite wave and Tsugumi returns the gesture with a limp hand.

"What are the odds we'd both end up here on the same night?" Moca opines lazily.

Tsugumi has to hold herself back from yelling that she wants to know the same thing. Being caught out with Sayo would be fine, at worst a little teasing might ensue. Nothing Tsugumi can't laugh off. But she can't explain this mess. What if Moca starts coming up with weird ideas? What if they tell those weird ideas to Himari and Himari tells Tomoe and Tomoe tells Ako and Ako tells Sayo and what if Sayo's pissed and breaks up with Tsugumi and leaves Roselia to become an NFO-addicted hermit-- 

Before smoke starts to shoot out of Tsugumi's ears, Moca taps their head confidently and gives her their explanation. "Must be fate hard at work~. Afterglow members are always drawn to each other, you know. Like gay little magnets."

"Haha, yeah, magnets!" Tsugumi chuckles as she slowly moves to try and block Moca's view of Yukina. "Good talking with you, Moca-chan! Have fun! I'll see you later!"

"Blowing off your bestie Moca-chan so quickly? Oho, you must be here with somebody real special in that case. Where's Sayochi at? Feels like it's been ages since we got to talk." Moca starts to climb up on their knees to peer over the edge of the booth and Tsugumi panics.

"She's, um, tired! Very tired. Not up to talking right now, sorry. Ahaha..."

Moca blinks slowly. "Ooooh. She doing okay?"

Yukina's sharp eyes are boring a hole in the back of her skull. Tsugumi can feel it so clearly, even if she's doing her best to not turn and look back at her. "Hazawa-san?" Yukina asks in a confused tone, "Are you speaking to me?"

"No!" Tsugumi blurts out.

"She's not okay?" Moca asks, leaning a little closer. "Lemme give her some Moca-chan healing energy then. Sayochiiii~!"

Tsugumi throws caution to the wind and frantically stretches up as much as she can. She holds her arms out in front of Moca's face in a desperate last-ditch effort to stop them from seeing what's going on. "No, it's fine, you don't have to!"

But it's too late.

Moca's eyes widen as they stare at Yukina, who just sits there in that ridiculous Sayo cosplay and stares back. Then just as quickly a shit-eating grin creeps onto Moca's face. "Tsugu, oh Tsugu~. You sly dog. Does Sayochi know you're out here wining and dining her girlfriend? And stealing her clothes, no less."

"You're mistaken." Yukina crosses her arms and stares at Moca, chin up firmly. "You see, I am in fact Sa--"

Before Yukina can finish, Tsugumi clamps her hand down on Moca's scalp and shoves hard, forcefully pushing them back down behind the divider between the two booths. Moca lets out a yelp before throwing out one last singsong remark.

"Hoo hoo, Tsugu the player~!"

And then, finally, they're gone. It's just Tsugumi and Yukina again.

Even if they can both still hear the faint sound of Chisato's concerned voice from the next booth over, probably asking Moca what in the world just happened.

Tsugumi massages her temples and lets out a breath as quietly as she possibly can before looking up. Yukina seems more or less unfazed by the scene that just unfolded. She's looking through the menu again. But after a moment she lowers it and peeks over the top to stare at Tsugumi with an unreadable expression. "That was your friend? Aoba-san?"

"Yeah..." Tsugumi drums her fingers on the seat beside her to get some of the nervous energy out. It doesn't work. Those sharp eyes are watching her too closely for her to calm down.

"It seems odd to me that they would have such a strong reaction to seeing us together." Yukina flips a page and her gaze moves down to skim over it. "Your friends should already know very well that you are dating me."

Tsugumi opens her mouth to reply before realizing her brain is completely empty.

She buries her face in the menu instead, skimming through the many options without actually taking in any information. "So... um, Sayo-san, do you know what you're going to order yet? I'm thinking about the..." She searches for a word and finds one. "...scotch." Not that one! Tsugumi, you idiot!

Thankfully Yukina doesn't seem to notice. "Yes, Hazawa-san, I know exactly what I plan to order."

"..." Tsugumi blinks. "Can I see what it is?"

Yukina turns her menu around and points to a spot on the page. Tsugumi leans forward to see what it is, and when she does she feels a headache coming on. She sits back down and leans against the back of the booth. "You're just having that? Nothing else?"

"It's my usual order, is it not?"

"Not at a place like this, not usually..."

Yukina stares at her with some mild surprise evident on her face. "I've never seen h--excuse me. I've never seen... myself order something else. In my memories of myself going to family restaurants, that is." Her brow furrows as she raises a hand to her mouth. She seems genuinely troubled for once. "Hmm."

It's an opportunity, Tsugumi realizes with a burst of hope. "You know, you don't necessarily have to do everything the way you, um, would normally do it! You can do whatever you want!"

But Yukina's conviction won't be broken so easily. "No," she says as she shakes her head and places the folded menu back down on the table with an air of finality, "that simply won't do at all, Hazawa-san. I must stay true to myself. And the reason is because I am Sayo Hikawa of Roselia."

Clunk.

The dull sound of a tall pitcher of water being placed on the table between them. Their beleaguered waiter draws his arm back and stands at the end of the table, notebook and pen at the ready. "Are you two ready to order?"

"Yes," Yukina says as she lifts up the menu and points her finger at the children's section, "I would like three large orders of your Friendly French Fries."

* * *

The walk back to the shopping district feels awkward. Yukina can't put her finger on why that is. She puts her hands in the pockets of Sayo's coat, which Tsugumi insistently gave back before they left the restaurant, and looks up at the wide expanse of the night sky as she follows Tsugumi through a narrow side path. The other girl's pace is brisk. Yukina's almost having trouble keeping up with her.

And beyond that, she still doesn't know where they're headed. "Hazawa-san, where are we going?"

"Somewhere you'll really like, Sayo-san."

Not much of an answer but Yukina will take it over the silence. Tsugumi has been frowning more and more as the night goes on, especially after her short meeting with Aoba-san for whatever reason.

Maybe her meal didn't sit well with her. The two orders of fries Yukina ate herself were fine, though, and she's sure Sayo will appreciate the extra helping during her recovery. Hina can reheat them for her later after Yukina drops off the doggy bag... Heh. A smug smile flicks across her face. Doggy bag, how fitting.

Tsugumi takes a sharp right turn and Yukina nearly trips over her own feet following her. She stares at Tsugumi's back, noticing the tension in her shoulders. Her hands knead the inside of the coat pockets and absentmindedly play with the pen from earlier as she thinks on it. Hmm. Sayo always makes sure that Yukina is having a good time during their dates. Yukina will have to do the same.

"I hope you've enjoyed yourself tonight, Hazawa-san, I know I have. Your presence is always soothing." That certainly sounds like something Sayo would say. But it's not enough. "I am fully devoted to you, you know. You as well as Minato-san."

Tsugumi makes a quiet choking sound and stops for a moment, but doesn't turn around. "...Thank you." She keeps walking.

Well, that's not the reaction Yukina was hoping for at all.

Somewhere in the back of her mind a concern is growing larger--the worry that she's not doing a good enough job. But she knows Sayo so well. She should be able to perform the role to perfection, especially with Hina's advice and all her planning... Yukina squeezes the pen tightly as frustration starts to set in.

Maybe... she knows Sayo well enough, but not _Tsugumi's_ Sayo. Was Tsugumi embarrassed to be seen with Yukina at the restaurant because her performance has been so sub-par?

Maybe this was a mistake.

The longer she looks at Tsugumi's back the more tired the girl seems to appear. Yukina narrows her eyes and summons all her conviction--if she can't do everything perfectly, she can at the very least give her utmost for the rest of the night. After all, what could Yukina Minato do to calm Tsugumi in this situation? Very little, she decides. So Sayo it is.

"Will your family be holding another cooking class soon?" she says, remembering something Hina mentioned and forcing her voice to be just a little deeper. "I'd be happy to attend if you are, Hazawa-san."

"Dunno yet."

"..." Yukina pauses. "Perhaps I could come around just for coffee, even."

"You can if you want to. The shop is closed on weekends."

There's a strange quality to Tsugumi's voice and Yukina doesn't like it. She's still contemplating what to say next when Tsugumi cuts her off. "Ah, we're here."

Yukina stops and looks at the place they've arrived at. Despite her concern she is quite curious to see where Tsugumi's winding path has led them. There are two storefronts side by side. Partner businesses, it seems like, judging by the matching signage all over their windows. They're both still open despite the late hour. Her gaze moves up to the signs that hang above the entrances.

The curiosity drains to be replaced by dread. Yukina's throat goes completely dry as she sees where Tsugumi has taken her. This... this isn't a date at all. She's been tricked. It's a test of will.

"I thought you'd like to visit a place like this, Sayo-san." Tsugumi gives her an innocent smile. "Now, of course, we both know which one you'll want to go to."

Yukina gulps heavily.

 _Wan Wan~ Puppy Cafe / Nya Nya~ Kitty Cafe,_ the connected signs read in a singsong font. A bead of sweat rolls down Yukina's brow as she stares at the words like a deer in the headlights.

How did she not know there was a cat cafe here... There must be so many cats inside that she's never met. Lovely little kitties that Yukina's never even once gotten to pet or kiss or coo sweet words to. The idea nearly brings her to tears, clenching her fist until her fingernails dig into her palm. She has to see them. They're right behind that door. But Sayo wouldn't go through that door, would she?

Yukina can so easily imagine the excited glimmer in Sayo's eyes at the mere thought of a day at a dog cafe. Sayo's faint smile wobbling as she desperately tries and fails to keep the eagerness off her face, the dam that holds back her emotions starting to crack more and more the closer she gets to a tail-wagging canine.

But the kitties are right there, Yukina thinks with a wave of pure despair as Tsugumi's calm smile shines on her like a cruel spotlight. All it would take is a few quick steps before she can walk inside and see them.

But... but... she knows that she can't.

Because Sayo would want to see the dogs.

Yukina gathers all the strength in her body and takes a robotic step to the left, heading towards the wrong door. No, the right door! The right door for Sayo Hikawa to enter. Which is why she's going to keep moving. Another step. Tsugumi's expression is starting to change, she looks almost concerned as she sees the obvious strain on Yukina's face. But Yukina has no time to worry about it. One more step.

"Let's go, H-Hazawa-san. The precious pups await." Yukina reaches out to take the doorknob as she speaks through tightly gritted teeth. "I can't wait to see their wagging tails, and... drooling mouths and such."

"Um, if you... We can always go see the cats instead?" Tsugumi says, trailing off at the end as her conviction seems to falter. "You really don't need to push yourself, Yukina, it's alright--"

"I am... Sayo Hikawa," Yukina grunts, "and I want... to see the puppies."

_"Mrow~!"_

In retrospect she can pinpoint the exact moment her resolve breaks, the instant when her brain registers that tiny mewling cry coming from the window next door. But in the moment she acts entirely on instinct.

Yukina reaches up to wrench the hair tie from her braid, shaking her head wildly and letting her hair spill back into its usual fringe around her back as she pulls the necklace away as well and stuffs them both into her pocket. "Sayo... I'm sorry," Yukina mutters quietly as she lets out a breath and stares into the night sky with a strange sense of calmness overwhelming her senses.

"I tried my best. But, you know, Sayo... I never knew it until now, but when you fail, you feel so carefree."

And then Yukina sprints for the door on the right and hurls herself through it.

* * *

When it happens Tsugumi has no idea how to react. "Yukina!?" she yelps in shock as a silver blur passes her by, "Wait--!" But it's far too late for that. Yukina is long gone. The door swings shut with a muted click.

It takes her a long moment to process what just happened. She expected some sort of emotional reaction, of course, that was the whole point after all--to find a weak point in Yukina's ironclad determination and finally discover what's going on--but she expected her to bend a little, not snap and explode like a firecracker.

She bites her lip. Ah, Tsugumi, you dummy! You broke her!

Tsugumi pulls a small slip of paper out of her pocket and reads it over for the fourth time since she discovered it. It's just an address and a brief description of what she'll find here--the rest is unspoken, as is the usual with her mysterious messenger. Moca's handwriting is as sloppy as ever. She crumples it up and stomps her foot, blaming Moca for a brief moment before sighing and deciding that it would be unfair to do that. They were just trying to help.

She shuffles to the side to avoid a pedestrian and stares at the shopfront with more than a little apprehension. Should she... go inside? She has to, right? Nobody else is going to hunt down her runaway date for her.

Tsugumi claps her hands on her cheeks twice for energy, and then she shuffles up and carefully pushes the door open as she peeks inside.

"Excuse me..."

The interior is more or less what you'd expect based on the advertising. A warmly lit, if slightly cramped, front lobby opens into a wide cafe area further back. The walls are covered with pastel colors and paw-themed decorations. Every nook and cranny boasts a cat tower and every tower is populated heavily; by big cats, small cats, calico cats, black cats, and striped cats, all lounging around lazily. A few prick their fuzzy ears up and watch her as she enters.

One, a fluffy orange and white cat, opens its little mouth in a wide yawn and stares straight at Tsugumi. It looks like it's got something to say.

"Hey. Kid. You with the other one?"

Tsugumi nearly jumps before turning to see the real source of the question, a tall lady leaning forward onto the front desk halfway across the room. The woman waves to beckon her over. She swallows heavily before complying. "Um, hello--"

"If you're together with the one who just came in here all--" The woman makes a rapid hand gesture. "--without paying, then I guess you can pay up for the both of you, yeah?" She leans a little closer and smiles like a shark. Tsugumi feels a shudder go up her spine. "It's great how things just seem to work themselves out like this."

"...Of course, ahaha," Tsugumi says faintly before taking out her wallet.

When the woman at the desk hands her a receipt, seemingly sated for the moment, Tsugumi bows quickly and immediately makes her way towards the main area. Every step increases the tension building in her gut and only makes her walk faster.

At least they seem to be the only customers here at the moment. Makes sense, most normal people wouldn't think to go to a cat cafe well past dinner time. That's good. This way, only the cats will be around to hear it if Yukina brutally destroys Tsugumi for resorting to such filthy, underhanded tactics to get her way. And she even managed to cause trouble for the lady at the front as well. So she'd really deserve it--

Stop. Doom. And. Glooming!

Tsugumi mentally shouts the words and punctuates each one with a squeeze of her fist. She slowly exhales. Sayo has been working with her for months in order to help her stop doing this sort of thing. Remembering the feeling of her girlfriend's steady hand on her shoulder helps a lot.

Alright. Tsugumi does her best to let the lingering flickers of anxiety burn themselves out. She's done with that. It's not helpful.

Now... where's Yukina?

She pushes further back into the cafe, slipping around tables and peeking behind cat towers but still not catching a glimpse of the girl she's searching for. She can't have gone far. Unless there's a back exit or something. But there's no way Yukina would willingly leave this place, would she? The cats that occasionally wander over to rub against Tsugumi's legs only bolster that feeling. Yukina is definitely in the building.

Tsugumi leans down to check underneath a table--she's got to be thorough even if it feels ridiculous!--and across the room, she spots a suspicious amount of cats all gathered around a spot on the floor.

She pulls herself out from under the table and heads over, careful to avoid bumping into several cats that are flocking to the same destination as her. From a distance it just looks like a large heap of fur and twitching ears. But as soon as she's a little closer she spots a shoe sticking out from one end and a crest of silver hair on the other.

Pausing at the outskirts of the cat pile, Tsugumi clears her breath. "Sa--" she starts, then stumbles over herself trying to figure out what to say, "Say...ukina-senpai...?"

"...Yef," comes a muffled reply.

Arms stretch out from the furry heap and blindly grope around until they reach the cat lying across their owner's head. When they manage to carefully move it aside, Yukina's blank eyes are revealed. She stares up at the ceiling with an unreadable expression. "Yes. I am Sayo no longer."

A bead of sweat rolls down Tsugumi's brow. The atmosphere feels too thick. "Um... I'm sorry. I didn't want to put you through... this..."

"You have nothing to apologize for." Yukina lies her arms out straight like she's attempting to make a snow angel out of cats. "You brought me here when I had no idea this wonderful place even existed. I owe you a great debt, Hazawa-san."

"Actually, it was Moca-chan who told me about it."

Yukina blinks. "Ah. In that case, let them know I owe them."

Tsugumi thinks about the potential consequences of Moca holding that sort of power for a moment and decides she will absolutely not do that. "Aha..."

She fiddles with the hem of her shirt and shifts her weight onto her other leg. It doesn't seem like Yukina's mad, at the very least. So maybe it would be okay for her to ask about all of this again. If the Sayo act is over, regardless of how it happened, she can probably get an answer.

"Yukina-senpai, um... why were you pretending to be Sayo-san?"

Yukina lets out a long sigh and closes her eyes. "I had to carry out her will. She entrusted her feelings to me."

_Is Sayo dead!?_

Tsugumi shoves down the reflexive thought and squeezes her eyes shut. She reaches up to rub her face before she gives Yukina her next question. "Why did you feel like you had to do that?"

"Sh--"

Yukina's voice cuts off. Tsugumi looks up to see that a cat has once again sat down on the other girl's head. Yukina reaches up to gingerly remove it before finally sitting up. A handful of cats hop off of her on their own but one remains, sliding down into her lap and curling up as she pets it. "She is sick," Yukina says plainly.

"Is she alright?"

"Sayo will be fine. I have already instructed her to recover."

Well, that's certainly reassuring. Tsugumi feels some of the nervous energy drain out of her, and decides to sit down before her knees give out. It's been a long night. She crosses her legs and leans forward to pet one of the cats still hanging around Yukina.

"So, did she ask you to do this? For me?" It does sound like the sort of thing Sayo would do. Well, maybe not quite, but still...

"In a way. But also no, the bulk of the idea was mine." Yukina scratches her cat's chin and its purr is audible to both of them. "I hope that you had an enjoyable time at the very least."

"..." Tsugumi thinks back to the rest of the day. Shopping for hidden treasures at Limp Lamp. Dinner at a cozy restaurant. And now, relaxing together in a feline paradise. Tsugumi scratches her cat behind its ears and it meows happily. She lets a tired smile float up to her face as her shoulders start to relax.

It's hard to deny that despite the frustration that's been at the forefront of her mind, she's also had some fun along the way.

Tsugumi's attention returns to Yukina. She's sitting in an awkward position to give the cat enough room to stretch out on her lap properly, and watching it intently with flushed cheeks. Tsugumi's never seen Yukina so excited before.

It reminds her of...

...well, it reminds her of Sayo when Moca brings Leon around. Or when they pass by a pet shop. Or when a stranger lets their dog run up and greet her. That expression of pure unadulterated joy is so familiar that Tsugumi has to quickly cover her mouth to stifle a giggle. Yukina looks up at her, confused, and Tsugumi shakes her head.

"Nothing, um, it's just... You kind of looked like Sayo-san for a second."

Yukina blinks. Then she stares down at the floor, biting her lip as she seems to lose herself in thought. "Your Sayo and mine are quite similar, aren't they? I suppose my failure wasn't the result of a lack of understanding, it was a lack of commitment."

Tsugumi scoots a little closer, holding back the urge to reach out and pet Yukina on the head. She just looks so disappointed in herself. "You were trying really hard, weren't you? I mean, I could tell."

"Of course." Yukina looks up at her with conviction clear in her furrowed brow. "Sayo's dedication is something I admire deeply. The least I can give for her is my all."

"...You're really kind, Yukina-senpai."

"Sayo is the kind one." Yukina's gaze moves back to her cat and she rests her hand on its back. It stretches out with a meow and she smiles faintly, her eyes softening. "But perhaps she's rubbed off on me more than I realize."

"..."

Her smile is so pretty.

The words fall out of Tsugumi's mouth before she can think them through. "Yukina-senpai, um... Do you want to try again sometime?"

"Try again?" Yukina stares at her for a moment and then nods. "Ah, you want me to refine my Sayo impression."

"No!" Tsugumi yelps, waving her hands. Her embarrassment is catching up with her now and she fights the urge to hide. "Um, I was just thinking... The nicest parts of today were the times when you weren't pretending. So maybe we can go on another date sometime as just ourselves, Yukina-senpai?"

The word hangs in the air.

Date.

Tsugumi buries her face in her hands and silently screams. That's--she didn't mean to--Tsugumi, you dummy! Ahhhhhh! You're being weird and she's gonna--

"I would like that very much, Hazawa-san."

She peeks between her fingers with wide eyes. "You would?"

"Very much so," Yukina responds. She carefully holds her cat up and scoots closer, looking a little ridiculous as she moves. When she's right in front of Tsugumi she sets the cat down. It seems comfortable as always. "Through Sayo's eyes, it's quite easy to see your positive traits, Hazawa-san. Your presence is unexpectedly calming."

"R-Really?" It's a little overwhelming having Yukina so close. Tsugumi can feel her heart thumping in her chest. "Aha... I guess I can't say I haven't thought about closing the gap before."

"The gap?"

"Well, you know, there's me and Sayo-san, and you and Sayo-san, but then there's that little gap between us." Tsugumi scratches the back of her neck nervously. "I wanted to get to know you, but you were always a little intimidating." The events of today have entirely destroyed whatever looming impression of Yukina existed in Tsugumi's mind until now, but she won't say that part out loud.

She looks back to Yukina. "Um, so if you're free next Fri--"

What.

The heck?

Yukina is leaning close, eyes trained firmly on Tsugumi like she's summoning all her determination. "Hold still, Hazawa-san. I'm not very experienced with this procedure. Sayo has shown me the basics many times, of course, but it's still difficult to pull off correctly."

"W-What procedure!?" Tsugumi stammers as Yukina leans even closer.

"Closing the gap."

As it turns out, to Tsugumi's shock and eventual delight, Yukina's kiss doesn't feel anything like Sayo's at all. It's something entirely new.

* * *

From the moment Sayo wakes up, something feels different in the air. It takes another few seconds for her exhausted brain to start chugging along enough to realize why that is.

The tickle way in the back of her throat is gone. The ache in her limbs and chest has faded too. She stretches her legs and arms as much as she can to confirm it. And her cough... Sayo clears her throat and realizes it's completely gone. Ah, what a relief. Yukina's firm insistence on rest and recuperation has worked wonders. Sayo smiles and rubs her forehead, grateful to feel no more fever under her cold palm.

Sayo sits up straight in bed and feels something fall from the disturbance caused by her sudden movement. She blinks and leans over to see what it was.

Mr. Wags? The plush German Shepherd is lying upside down on the ground. Where did he come from, though? She must have grabbed him in her sickness-induced stupor last night. It's a little embarrassing, but she doesn't wait to pick him back up and give him a squeeze as a silent apology for dropping him on the floor.

She climbs out of bed slowly, careful not to overexert her body so soon after recovering, and heads to the closet to find something to wear. Skirt, blouse, dress. She flicks through all her options before pausing. Where is her coat?

Sayo steps back and looks around the room, confused, until she spots it hanging off the hook on the back of her bedroom door. That's odd, she doesn't remember putting it there. But no matter. She picks it up and tosses it around her shoulders so she'll look a little less haggard when she heads downstairs for breakfast. Not that her parents would notice or Hina would care but it's the principle of the thing.

Before she heads out, she takes her phone from the desk with her. Surely Tsugumi will have texted at some point. Hopefully she wasn't too let down... Sayo frowns.

She makes her way downstairs as subtly as she can. Everyone else should be awake by now but they don't seem to be around. Perhaps Hina had some Pasupare business to attend to, Sayo wonders. Whatever the reason she seems to have the house to herself. A bit of a luxury. Perhaps she should make herself some...

Coffee. Hmm. There's a full mug of coffee on the counter with a little note next to it, scrawled letters telling Sayo that it was definitely her sister's work. She reads it and feels a bemused smile start to grow on her face.

_Sis, I hope you're feeling way more boppin' today! Yukina-chan helped me decide what to put in this so it's definitely super zappin'!!! Bottoms up and the devil laughs!_

"Really, Hina..." Sayo chuckles to herself quietly and puts the note aside, turning to the coffee and noticing that it's still steaming. It must have been made right before Hina left. She picks it up by the handle and blows on it before closing her eyes and taking a small sip.

"Gurgch--!"

Sayo sputters and chokes, setting the mug down hard and slapping a hand over her mouth. That's--mint and cayenne? Do Hina and Yukina want her dead!? She wipes her face and winces.

It's a hell of a way to clear her sinuses, at least. Sayo reaches into her coat pocket for one of the tissues she usually keeps on hand. But instead, her searching fingers find something plastic and unfamiliar. She pulls it out and furrows her brow. A fake flower? That's odd, she has no recollection of buying something so frivolous. She sets it down on the counter to deal with later, next to a paper bag that smells suspiciously like fries. That will also be investigated soon enough.

Well, now that she's most certainly fully awake she may as well check her phone. Sayo taps in her passcode--3429--and scrolls through her notifications with a sense of dread growing in the back of her mind.

The thought of Tsugumi being disappointed in her feels awful. But the logical side of her brain tells her that Tsugumi would have understood. Of course she would have. That doesn't change anything for the other side of her brain, though, and that side is the one making her palms sweat.

The first notification she sees is from Yukina. Only a few words.

_Feel better, Sayo._

Sayo smiles and feels herself grow a little calmer. She types out a response. _Thank you for your concern, Minato-san. I am much improved today thanks to your advice and care. I will be back at practice by tomorrow. -Sayo_

The response comes quickly, professional as always. _Glad to hear it. I love you._

_I love you too, Minato-san. -Sayo_

Sayo closes the chat and wills herself to stop tapping her foot. Honestly... What is she, a first-year girl bashfully texting her partner? Well, the last part of that is true, but she'll choose to ignore it.

Leaning back in the chair and hearing it creak, Sayo takes a deep breath. The nervousness is still there in the back of her mind, telling her Tsugumi will be upset or even mad at her for having to call everything off. But she pushes it back. No doom and glooming, that was their mantra, wasn't it? Sayo summons her resolve and slowly scrolls up.

There's one new text notification from Tsugumi. Her finger trembles a little as she taps it. And then she begins to read.

_Hi, Sayo-san!_

_I hope you got enough rest. We stayed out pretty late, didn't we? Aha... Our date yesterday was a whole lot of fun! I hope you had as nice a time as I did. We'll have to decide on a day for our next time out, but until then my Sayo-san meter is fully recharged. <3_

_Love you lots, and give Yukina-senpai my love too! -Tsugumi_

...

Sayo blinks. She reads the text over again, utterly baffled, as the scent of mint-and-cayenne coffee mixes with the smell of Friendly French Fries and wafts through the empty kitchen. Eventually, she manages to mumble out the only response her brain can come up with.

"What?"


End file.
